Large Training Provider of the Year Award

The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) is the largest and longest serving provider of vocational education and training (VET) in the ACT.  Over its impressive 90 year history, CIT has proven itself by diversifying and adapting to the challenges of the national VET environment with passion, innovation and dedication.

CIT provides an extensive range of VET programs from short courses to advanced diplomas. CIT has six campuses across Canberra and delivers nationally-accredited training packages via the workplace, online and on-campus. CIT trains over 20,000 students each year, touching more lives (post-secondary school) than any other tertiary education institution in the ACT. CIT is always aiming to build on its reputation as a quality provider of VET and opening up new opportunities for students and Canberra’s skills sector.

Based in Geelong in southern Victoria for more than 130 years, ‘The Gordon’ has been a power house of vocational education and training (VET).

It’s the largest regional technical and further education (TAFE) institute in Victoria and its 500 staff support over 13,500 students to kickstart careers with courses covering Certificate I through to Graduate Diploma qualifications. It’s a mammoth effort but one delivering the workforce of the future and fuelling Australia’s economic development.

‘VET helps thousands to realise their potential or change their life circumstances through nationally recognised training, while providing the skills needed for a changing economy,’ says Darren Gray, Deputy CEO/Director Skills First. ‘High-quality VET boosts employment outcomes for students. It also plays a lead role as rapid advancements in technology disrupt the ways we traditionally work, and it does so with nationally recognised qualifications.’

For its efforts, The Gordon won the 2017 Large Training Provider of the Year Award at the Australian Training Awards.

At its two campuses in Geelong and facilities in Wyndham, The Gordon provides more than 230 qualifications and offers accredited and non-accredited specialist courses. It has more than 3,000 apprenticeships and traineeships Australia wide.

With one of the most comprehensive range of courses in Victoria, The Gordon helps transition workers and support skills development for exciting new and emerging sectors, including design and construction, health and community services, science and technology.

‘Traditional manufacturing has been the mainstay of this region for generations, but this is changing to a knowledge and service-based economy,’ says Darren. ‘Tailored VET qualifications help develop the skills Geelong needs.’

One example of a specialised and innovative education program delivering real-world and first-class learning is the course in using carbon fibre in composite manufacturing.

‘This course is an Australian first,’ says Darren. ‘Retrenched automotive manufacturing workers are building on their skills and securing employment in this emerging sector,’ says Darren.

Another example meeting growth demand is with STEM—science, technology, engineering and maths, which is supporting students with innovative careers and providing industry with a more highly skilled workforce.

Winning the Large Training Provider of the Year Award demonstrates The Gordon’s excellence and high-level performance in all aspects of VET.

‘Being part of the Australian Training Awards has been outstanding,’ says Darren. ‘It has increased the pride of staff and students. We’ve also met other exceptional providers, industry leaders and students, which has opened up collaboration opportunities.’

As an Australian VET Alumni member, The Gordon will promote the value of VET, including its proven ability to boost employment outcomes for graduates.

To find out more about how you can gain real skills for a real career through a VET qualification, visit http://www.myskills.gov.au/

Batchelor Institute is unique in Australia’s educational landscape as its only First Nations comprehensive tertiary education provider. The Institute has fifteen campuses; the main campus situated in the remote town of Batchelor, 100 kilometres south of Darwin, the second in Alice Springs and 13 regional campuses located throughout the NT.

Batchelor currently delivers 49 qualifications to a student cohort of over 3,000 of which 95 per cent are Aboriginal, 70 per cent live in remote and very remote communities and 72 per cent speak an Aboriginal language as their first language. A staff of 353, of whom over one third are Aboriginal, support Batchelor’s students. Half of the senior management of the organisation is also Aboriginal.

In 2015, 710 Aboriginal students completed a qualification and this will rise to nearly 800 in 2016. The Institute’s training footprint continues to expand with International provision into Timor-Leste. Batchelor Institute’s training is grounded in a ‘Both-ways’ learning philosophy, where an Aboriginal lens is applied to better interpret a Western educational learning paradigm.

Ninety-three year old Box Hill Institute is currently experiencing one of the most exciting periods in its proud history. In 2014 the Institute embarked on a comprehensive change and renewal program which has been at the heart of its success in winning the Large Training Provider of the Year Award at the 2016 Australian Training Awards.

“In 2014 we gained a new CEO, Mr Norman Gray AM with a great mix of skills who has challenged our thinking and isn’t scared to push the boundaries of 21st Century VET training,” said Jennifer Oliver, Executive Director Academic Affairs. “The result is a new strategic plan which has the buy in and endorsement of the leadership team and staff who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of our students.

“While Box Hill Institute has earned many accolades and awards over the years, a recent major focus on innovation has been a distinguishing factor and undoubtedly was a major factor in winning us the jewel in the crown at the Australian Training Awards, in the face of some very strong competition,” said Jennifer.

Already, the Institute’s new strategic plan has resulted in two impressive achievements: the re-opening of the Lilydale Lakeside Campus in Melbourne’s outer east and the winning of a $40 million tender to provide training to Victoria’s prisoners through an agreement with Corrections Victoria.

“Innovative thinking has made it possible for us to restore education at Swinburne University’s formerly closed Lilydale campus, transforming it into a modern, integrated tertiary facility with built in commercial revenue streams and partnerships to ensure its ongoing sustainability.

“The Corrections Victoria project includes skills based training designed to prepare inmates to find work and assimilate into the community, and a case management approach which enables prisoners to receive mentoring or continuation of their training after their release. This was something Corrections Victoria hadn’t seen before.

“We also aren’t afraid to be trailblazers in meeting new industry needs,” said Jennifer. “Our recognition of a looming skills shortage in the field of cyber security has resulted in the development of a Certificate IV in Information Security designed with the support and endorsement of cyber security experts.

“Box Hill Institute’s vision is to be community educators for industry, work and life, and in doing that, to be Australia’s number one global vocational education and training provider,” said Jennifer. “The Australian Training Awards acknowledge that we are on the right path and I have no doubt that our strong leadership, together with the passion and professionalism of our staff, will ensure our vision is realised.”

TAFE Queensland has a history of serving communities for more than 130 years. The largest and most experienced VET provider in Queensland, it services the state through six registered training organisations and is committed to delivering quality training that changes lives.

Its unique structure allows TAFE Queensland to share knowledge and resources to deliver high quality training solutions that meet the needs of students and industry. Training includes foundation skills, entry level qualifications and higher education degrees, with students able to choose from over 500 qualifications across ten industry sectors.

TAFE Queensland currently provides training to 128,000 students with a completion rate in excess of 90 per cent. In 2015, it both implemented a Learning and Teaching Framework to provide the blueprint for effective learner centred and industry focused training and launched Australia’s largest Vocational Education scholarship program to enable Queenslanders to pursue their study and career goals.

Durack Institute of Technology delivers customised and innovative training programs to suit the needs of students in the Midwest, Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia – an area spanning over 640 000 kilometres.

For over fifty years, the Institute has grown to become known as a quality provider of vocational education and training delivering over 250 accredited courses to more than 6000 students annually. Durack plays an important role in ensuring regional people are able to harness employment opportunities while addressing skills needs of local industry.

A large focus of the Institute is to offer a range of training designed to meet the learning needs of specific client groups including Indigenous people, people with disability, youth at risk and people from remote, regional and culturally diverse backgrounds.

Durack has established itself as a successful and award winning training provider, and this success is based on sound relationships with industry and the community, developed over a number of years. This ongoing fostering of partnerships has ensured that the delivery of training across the region has remained industry responsive and relevant.

An integral contributor to the economy of north-east regional Victoria, Wodonga Institute of TAFE serves the local government areas of the community of Wodonga and the Victorian shires of Alpine, Indigo and Towong as well as the local government areas of Albury, Greater Hume and Corowa in New South Wales.

The Institute’s reach extends much further than these regional boundaries, delivering training in every state and territory of Australia with 527 staff across 11 locations.

Annually, around 13 500 people enrol in the Institute’s courses and in 2014, it delivered more than 4.3 million student contact hours from Certificate I to Advanced Diploma level across a range of industry areas. A survey conducted by the Institute with past students found that over 92 per cent of its graduates found employment following the completion of their studies.

The Institute’s practical, hands-on training and education also features industry-simulated training facilities such as the National Industrial Skills Training Centre and Motorsports Training Australia.

VERTO is a community owned, not-for-profit registered training organisation, delivering a range of employment and training services to assist individuals, employers and industries in communities across New South Wales.

VERTO started as an evening college in Bathurst in the early 1980s and has grown to provide services from 27 locations across New South Wales. On average, VERTO trains 3000 people each year in both accredited and non-accredited vocational training offering a range of over 50 qualifications.

Clients have expressed their appreciation of the partnership relationship that VERTO builds, and the job-appropriateness of the training courses.

VERTO is an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider, jobactive provider and provides training services through its registered training organisation. It offers community support services, including Indigenous education, disability support services and further specialised training to link the most disadvantaged people in our community with sustainable employment opportunities.